Sweden says bookseller held in China denied access to Swedish doctor

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - A Swedish book publisher being held by Chinese authorities has not been allowed a promised visit by a Swedish doctor, Stockholm said on Thursday.

Gui Minhai, a Hong Kong-based publisher of books critical of China’s leaders was abducted in Thailand in 2015, one of five people in the Hong Kong book trade who went missing that year and later appeared in custody in mainland China.

Gui, 53, was released from custody last October, but his whereabouts were unclear until January when his daughter said he was seized by Chinese agents onboard a Beijing-bound train while in the presence of two Swedish diplomats.

China confirmed last month that it had detained Gui.

Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom said a Swedish doctor who had been sent to Gui had been denied permission to meet him on Wednesday.

“The Chinese actions are unacceptable and break previous promises that our citizen would be allowed to meet a Swedish doctor,” Wallstrom said in a statement.

“Our efforts concerning the case are continuing with unrelenting vigour. We continue to demand that Gui Minhai be given the opportunity to meet Swedish diplomatic and medical staff and that he be released so he can reunite with his daughter and family.”